Rather Be Ashes
by Viola.J
Summary: Connor, Originals, typical Damon snarks, and a quest for vengeance. Blaze's father had been killed in the council fire, and she's teamed up with the frightening new vampire hunter to get her revenge. Will she wipe out the Mystic Falls vampires, or will she have a change of heart? A bit of Elijah/OC.
1. Looks Can Be Deceiving

**I know I'm supposed to be working on the sequel to Elijah and Evangeline, but Connor's character is SO INTRIGUING! And I'm feeling so Bonnie and Clyde today that I thought I'd whip something up. Don't worry Secret of the Petrovas fans. I'm also working on vignettes and outlining the sequel.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TVD. L.J. Smith does, and Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson do too.**

Warning: 4x02 spoilers

_I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time. -_Jack London

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**Chapter 1: Looks Can Be Deceiving**

Blaze stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the golden locks over her simple black dress. She looked the part, like a sweet sad girl who'd just lost her father tragically. Helpless and vulnerable. But it was all part of the act. Her father hadn't brought her up that way.

When the vampires came back into town during Blaze's senior year her father made it clear that he would probably die. So when she got the phone call at college last week, informing her of her father's death, she was hardly fazed. She'd finished grieving before he was cold in his grave. It was time for vengeance.

The memorial was boring, a waste of time, up until Tyler Lockwood interrupted the singing. He'd barely spoken for a minute when a shot pierced his abdomen.

Screams erupted from the pews, but Blaze was more focused on the Lockwood boy. Instead of fleeing like everyone else had, she dropped to the floor of her pew and shifted out of sight. The Gilbert girl ran up to Tyler, then some guy she didn't really know, followed by Caroline Forbes.

Blaze watched in amazement as Caroline pulled the bullet from Tyler's chest. He immediately gasped and coughed for air. _He's a vampire_, she realized in silent, determined horror. And Caroline, the Gilbert girl and her boyfriend, even Mayor Lockwood, were all in on the secret.

She waited several minutes for Tyler and his mother to disappear, then she crept stealthily from the church.

Outside the church, she spotted the Gilbert boy putting a bandage on Matt Donovan's neck. _Hmm._ She followed them casually to the grill and kept her distance.

There were several strangers in town, many of whom were family members of the deceased, like herself. Blaze was so busy thinking about the day's events that she hadn't noticed Matt and the Gilbert boy leaving the grill.

Cursing to herself she sat down at the bar, beside a handsome but severe looking man.

"Ginger Ale," she motioned to the bartender. He brought her a glass, and she sipped the cup in pensive silence.

"Hello there," the somewhat frightening man offered a smile and held out his hand. "I'm Connor Jordan."

Blaze narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the man but grudgingly shook his hand. "I'm Bailey Harris, but people here know me as Blaze."

"Blaze." His eyes narrowed curiously. "How'd you land a nickname like that?"

"Someone broke into my house when I was twelve," Blaze had to stifle a laugh, "I set them on fire."

Connor couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of a twelve-year-old girl setting a man on fire. "That's quite a story."

"You must have quite a story yourself." She grabbed his hand again in one swift movement and inhaled deeply. "Considering you reek of vervain."

Connor smirked slightly and drew his hand back. "Perceptive."

"Oh it was easy to recognize. After all, it matches the scent of my favorite perfume." She grinned and swept her honey-colored hair from neck.

Connor leaned forward tentatively, and breathed in the scent of her neck. Indeed it smelled of vervain. So strongly, in fact, that he wondered if she bathed in it.

Blaze's heart raced as she felt his lips inadvertently graze her shoulder, and she took the connection as an opportunity to lean in toward his ear. "You shot the Lockwood boy, didn't you?"

He shot back and eyed her suspiciously. "What do you know about that?"

"I know that his girlfriend pulled your wooden bullet from his chest with her bare hands."

"And how do you know that?" He still wasn't sure he trusted her.

"Oh come on, look at me. No one suspects someone like me, the poor, helpless daughter of a dead council member, to be a vampire hunter."

Connor now looked at her with new resolve. "You could help me find every vampire in this town."

Blaze leaned so close to his ear, that her lips touched his cheek. "I can do much more than that."

He didn't miss the double meaning but continued to play coy, exhaling above her neck, "And what exactly can you do?"

She pushed Connor back playfully and smirked at him mischievously, "The man I set on fire when I was twelve, he didn't break into my house."

Connor tilted his head, curious of what she meant.

Suddenly Blaze's body was right against his. "He wanted to get in," she grinned at the double entendre, "but he wasn't invited."

"A vampire," he stared at Blaze with new eyes.

"Mystic Falls seems to be a breeding ground for them."

Their bodies were still pressed together, and they could feel each other's heartbeats. Finally Connor stepped back coolly. "Meet me here tomorrow. Same time." Then he nodded politely to Blaze and exited the grill without another word.

Blaze grinned to herself for a moment, but the smile quickly faded into her vengeful stare. She now had an ally, but Blaze still felt restless. Her father was dead, and she _would_ avenge him. She would kill every last vampire in this town if she had to. They would all pay.

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**So what do you guys think? Is it a story worth continuing? Should Blaze just be bad, bad, bad, or should she eventually have a change of heart? Please Review and let me know!**


	2. Reconnaissance

**Huge shout-out to 'The Charmed Rose', my first reviewer! **

**Connor and Blaze are on their second meet-up at the grill. Not a lot of action, but Blaze does discover another vampire...**

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**Chapter 2: Reconnaissance**

"Where did you get these?" Connor smirked incredulously.

"Sky Mall," Blaze laughed. "They sell all sorts of crazy crap like this. I just altered the design a bit to make it look more discrete."

"It's a hearing aid," he leered dubiously.

"It's as close to vampire hearing as you're going to get, so I suggest you try it out."

"How about this." He slapped the hearing device back in her hand and eyed her seriously. "You can stick to your methods, and I can stick to mine."

"Fine," Blaze grimaced and stuck the device back into her pocket. "Hanging out with you puts a target on my back anyway, so I'm just going to do my thing… But how do you want to contact each other?"

Connor scribbled on a piece of paper and pressed it firmly into her hand. "Here's my number."

"Hey, I just met you…" she teased in a sing-song voice.

Connor just shook his head, glowering slightly, and Blaze fell into sheepish silence. "We'll be in touch," he raised his eyebrows and left the bar.

Matt Donovan eyed Blaze suspiciously from across the grill as Connor made his exit, and he decided to do some investigating of his own.

"Hey, you're Bailey Harris, aren't you?" He sat beside Blaze coolly.

Blaze immediately fell into character, putting on her vulnerable 'my father just passed away' face. "Yeah, you're Matt, right?"

"Yeah. Hey I was just wondering what you and that one dude were talking about." Matt tried to keep it casual.

Blaze's insides rocked with laughter as she hammed up her 'sad and broken' routine. "He was asking me all sorts of questions about the town and my family," her eyes creased with concern, "and my father…" she sniffed like she was about to cry, and Matt rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Matt truly sympathized with her. "I just think you should stay away from that guy. He seems a bit sketchy if you ask me."

"Thanks, you're really sweet." Blaze felt bad for tricking Matt, but she couldn't tell him the truth, and, _she realized suddenly_, she now had an 'in' with the vampire sympathizers. "Hey, would you like to hang out some time?" She beamed her best sad-but-hopeful smile at the boy and crossed her fingers.

Matt shrugged and smiled, "You know what? I'd like that. And I've got work off tomorrow if you're game."

Blaze suddenly felt a pang of guilt. "Just to be clear… This is just as friends. I'm not into younger guys."

"Oh yeah, sure." Matt looked slightly disappointed. "You wanna just meet up here tomorrow then, around seven?"

"Sounds great," she smiled at him as he went back to work. _The seed was planted._

Blaze decided to try out her hearing amplifiers and stuck them in gingerly in her ears. Much to her surprise, the first voice she heard was Matt's. She sipped her ginger ale quietly, so as not to draw attention.

"_Trust me, Damon. She didn't know anything. She's just torn up about her dad dying."_

"_Oh, please. You can't just trust a pretty face, Matt. Now watch the master at work."_

"_Damon. Come on, man…" Matt called out exasperatedly._

Blaze readied herself for whatever this Damon person would do.

A handsome man with bright blue eyes and dark hair sat beside her and grinned widely. "Nice day, isn't it?"

"I suppose," she sighed in a sad tone.

"Oh, my bad. Totally wasn't thinking. Yesterday's funeral and all…" he shrugged. "I'm Damon Salvatore, by the way."

"Bailey Harris," she smiled a bit more, as if liking his attention. "But my friends call me Blaze."

"Well, _that _is interesting." Damon tilted his head curiously. "Tell me, have you lived in town long, Blaze?"

She knew something was coming and braced for it behind her smile. "I've been away at college, but after dad died I took a leave of absence to, recover I guess." _In reality she'd left school to hunt vampires, but Damon didn't need to know that_.

"You know, I like you, Blaze," Damon grinned mischievously, leaning in close.

_Here it comes._ Blaze was ready.

"And you like me too."

Blaze's eyes grew wide. He was trying to compel her. _He was a vampire._ She quickly played it off. "I don't know why, but I like you, Damon."

"Kiss me."

_Ugh, here goes… _Blaze immediately obeyed, pressing her lips to Damon's, but she pulled back quickly, still in character. "Oh my gosh, I don't know why I did that. I'm usually not so forward."

"Don't worry," Damon grinned smugly. "I get it all the time."

_Oh my gosh… what an arrogant S.O.B…._ Blaze wanted to stake him right then and there, but Connor had instructed her firmly not to. Her job was reconnaissance.

"So, do you want to get out of here, Damon?" she beamed coyly at the vampire.

"Actually, you're not my type, but I want you answer a question for me."

"Okay?..." _Egotistical jerk._

Damon leaned in close to compel her again. "What do you know about Connor Jordan?"

Blaze tried to look as monotone as possible as she answered. "He's in environmental clean-up. And he's shown a lot of interest in the fire that killed the town council. He liked me and gave me his phone number."

"Interesting. Now I want you to forget this conversation. I'm just the cute guy you met at the bar."

Blaze blinked a few times and smiled. "Hi, I'm Blaze."

"And I'm leaving," Damon shook his head with a grin and returned to Matt.

"_And that, is how you find out the facts."_

"_You're a jerk, Damon…"_

Blaze was happy that Matt was displeased with Damon's behavior, but it also made her feel guiltier. Hopefully she'd be able to get what she needed before someone got hurt.

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**So, not a lot going on here. Blaze is just trying to weasel her way into the group. Either chapter 3 or chapter 4 will have have a Connor/Blaze lime, so hold onto your hats! Oh, and Review. Always review. ;) Thanks for reading! -Viola**


	3. The One Who Wouldn't Go Away

**Gosh, Matt is such a sweet guy. I really don't want Blaze using him, so I think I'm going to try and speed things up. Oh Matt! *sigh* Thanks so much for reading!  
**

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**Chapter 3: The One Who Wouldn't Go Away**

Blaze beamed at Matt as she sunk another ball. "Good thing there's no money on this game, or you'd be broke."

"Yeah, I learned pretty young not to gamble, especially during pool," Matt laughed easily.

Blaze was having a genuinely good time, like she actually had a friend in this vampire-infested town. She rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all and leaned forward to take another shot, but when she heard Caroline Forbes in her amplifier, she jumped, missing the shot completely.

"Finally." Matt pumped his fist.

Blaze smiled. She didn't mind, especially since she was able to hear Caroline and the Gilbert girl as they sat at a table.

"_Hey Elena, who's that girl playing pool with Matt?" _

"_I'm not sure, I think she graduated last year though."_

"_Yeah… she does look familiar now that I think about it."_

Matt missed his second shot and groaned, "Man, I suck at this, Bailey."

The sound of her real name caught her off guard. "Did I seriously not tell you my nickname?"

Matt frowned. "No. I hope I didn't upset you or anything."

"Not at all. Just… call me Blaze."

"Oh yeah," Recognition shone in his eyes. "'cause you set that dude on fire who tried to break into your house, right?"

"That's right," she raised an eyebrow, impressed at his memory.

Matt's phone rang suddenly, and he looked at it with concern. "Sorry, Blaze, I've got to take this. I'll be right back."

"It's okay," she sighed. "I'll just be right here." Now she could listen in on Caroline and Elena's conversation, uninterrupted.

"_I just don't know what to do about Bonnie. She's not returning any of my calls."_

"_Don't worry about it, Elena. She just hasn't warmed up to the fact that you've been drinking Matt's blood."_

Blaze's heart stopped. One more vampire to add to the tally.

"_It's not like I didn't try Stefan's diet, or even the blood bags. I just couldn't…" Elena began to cry._

"_I know, sweetie. I know. But eventually you'll be able to drink blood the way the rest of us do. I mean, Katherine was a doppelganger too and she can…"_

"_But Katherine's over five-hundred years old, Caroline. Is that how long it's going to take?"_

"Hey, sorry about that." Matt shook Blaze from her revelatory eavesdropping. "I got a call from my mom. It's… been a while."

"Don't even worry about it," she strained to smile. Caroline Forbes and Elena Gilbert were vampires. And then there was Damon Salvatore, someone named Stefan, and five-hundred year old named Katherine? Blaze's mind spun.

"Hey are you all right? You don't look so good." Matt peered at her with genuine concern.

"Actually, do you think we could just go for a walk or something? I need some air." Blaze didn't have to pretend this time. She was legitimately anxious.

"Yeah, of course." Matt put his arm around Blaze, escorting her outside.

They hadn't walked far when a girl with light blond hair bounced hopefully over to Matt's side. "Hey Matt."

"I thought I told you to get lost, Rebekah."

Blaze raised her eyebrows in surprise at Matt's behavior, listening with keen interest.

"I'm really truly sorry, Matt."

Matt stopped in front the alley and turned to her, looking livid. "You know what? I'm sick of people apologizing to me, thinking that it'll just make everything right. It doesn't. So please, Rebekah, just leave me alone."

"You should be nicer to me," Rebekah grimaced. Then peering at Blaze, she added in a low threat, "especially in front of your new friend. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, now would we?"

"Leave her out of this, Rebekah." Matt stepped defensively in front of Blaze.

But Blaze had other plans. _No one threatened her and got away with it._ "It's okay, Matt." Then she stepped forward, offering her hand to the blond beauty. "I'm Blaze Harris."

Rebekah's lips curled into a menacing smile and stuck out her hand, but the moment her skin touched Blaze's her flesh began to hiss, and she drew it back in unexpected agony.

_Vampire._

"What the…" Matt started, but Blaze was already in action.

Before Rebekah could recover, Blaze grabbed the blond's shirt with one hand and staked her in the heart with the other.

"Oh my gosh," Matt backed away, now comprehending what Blaze truly was. "You're a vampire hunter. You… you lied to me."

Blaze dragged Rebekah's body into the alley. "It wasn't all a lie, Matt." She peered into his eyes apologetically. "But I'm sorry you got in the middle of this."

Matt's face stung with betrayal. "You know what, Blaze? I always get stuck in the middle, but at least my _friends_… are honest with me about it." He shook his head and turned to leave.

"No Matt, wait." Blaze ran in front of him with fear in her eyes. "If Connor finds out that you know what I am, he'll come after you."

"Yeah, what do you care?"

"Matt," Blaze took his hands and stared straight into his eyes. "I understand if we can't be friends now, but I _do _care."

Matt deliberated for a moment, then exhaled in defeat. "Fine, I won't tell anyone about you… yet. But you can't be staking vampires in the middle of the street."

"Fine, deal," Blaze promised.

"Oh and Blaze?"

"Yes, Matt?"

He whispered something in Blaze's ear, causing her eyes to widen in horror. Then, edging away from the alley, Blaze sprinted across the street and out of sight.

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**Ooh, what did Matt whisper in Blaze's ear that frightened her so much? Lol, it's pretty obvious if you watch the show, but I do love suspense. Next chapter – Connor/Blaze interaction, and lots of it. ;) Please Review! -Viola**


	4. Deal With The Devil

**I cannot express enough gratitude for the people who are giving this story a chance, and every time I get a review, favorite, or subscriber it absolutely makes my day! Thanks for reading!**

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**Chapter 4: Deal With the Devil**

"_Something you should know about Original vampires… They're over a thousand years old, they can't be killed, and they're not very good at keeping secrets for vampire hunters." Matt glanced tellingly at Rebekah's not-so-dead body and strolled away with a shrug._

His parting words haunted Blaze. Thousand year old vampires that couldn't be killed? She felt positively sick. And if she didn't find a way to take the vamp down, the others vampires would know about her stint as an undercover hunter by the end of the day, so she took off toward her house to get more supplies.

She'd have to carry more than just a stake, so Blaze ran immediately to the closet and pulled out her trench coat. The inside was lined with ropes doused heavily in vervain, some extra stakes, a few syringes, and her own special pyrotechnic concoction. _She wasn't called Blaze for nothing…_

Lastly Blaze pulled out some lotion. It was mixed with a concentrated amount of vervain, giving her skin that lethal touch that Rebekah was so unfortunate to experience, and she reapplied it all over her neck and hands.

All that was left was to have another run in with the Original.

Blaze walked casually down a back road along the outskirts of town, adrenaline pumping, and she knew it wouldn't be long before Rebekah found her.

Sure enough, within a few seconds she was pushed against a brick wall, and Rebekah glared at her, blackened veins creeping from her eyes. But as her hand closed around Blaze's neck, the vampire got a fresh coat of vervain on her fingers and gasped in pain.

"You little b…" she started to scream. But before she had gotten out her last word, Blaze staked her again and immediately set to work, wrapping her from head to toe in vervain ropes until the vampire looked more like a mummy. Then, grabbing her cell, she dialed hastily.

"Connor, I need your help."

* * *

Connor appraised the unconscious vampire and threw her into the back seat of his truck. "I'm impressed. You say she can't be killed?"

"Yeah, I overheard Matt Donovan calling her one of 'the Originals'." _She skirted the truth._

"Interesting."

Blaze was about to climb in the truck when Connor suddenly slammed her against the door.

"You know, I underestimated you." His low, sultry voice resonated throughout her body. "So there's one more vampire I want you to take down. Stakes won't work on him either." He pressed against her shoulders, and Blaze felt oddly stirred by his dominant presence.

"Is he an Original?" she heaved a breath.

"You tell me. Is Tyler Lockwood a thousand years old?"

"What? No. We used to hang out as kids."

Connor suddenly pressed his body closer and breathed in her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine. "You're not going to have a problem with this, are you?"

Blaze narrowed her eyes determinedly and brushed her lips against his cheek. She grinned widely at his light shudder. "I was born to do this."

Without warning Connor pinned her arms back and kissed her roughly. Blaze used the force of his hands as a brace to lift her legs and wrap them around his waist. Then she wrested her arms free, and ran her nails seductively into his back.

But just as it was getting good, Connor threw her roughly onto the sidewalk. _Ouch, what the... _Blaze rubbed her hip in silent, sudden rage.

"Let's get one thing straight," he stared down coolly. "We do this on my terms. Get Tyler, and we'll pick up where we left off."

He drove away, leaving Blaze alone at the edge of town.

_Jerk, throwing her on the ground just to assert his authority_. Her insides burned as she walked and walked, not even caring about the direction. But after several minutes she realized she was lost and started to cry.

She sat on the grass venting her frustrations in tears, when she felt a brief whiff of air from behind.

"Is everything all right?"

Blaze swung around instantly, just to be face to face with the boy she'd seen with Elena Gilbert at the funeral. Fear permeated her features. _She wasn't ready._

"Hey, don't worry. I won't hurt you." he reassured her. "I just heard you crying and wanted to make sure everything was okay. I'm Stefan." He held out his hand to help her up, and Blaze suddenly had a crazy idea. So crazy that it just might work. Time for another act…

She reached for his hand hesitantly, but when their fingers touched the vervain from her lotion burned his hand. Completely in character, Blaze gasped, "Oh my gosh, what happened? Are you allergic to my new lotion?" _Playing 'dumb blonde' was so easy._

Stefan struggled to keep his composure as his skin healed. "Yeah, I must be. Where did you get that anyway?"

"Some guy I met gave it to me," she whined slightly. "His name was Connor."

Stefan froze. "Connor Jordan?"

"Yeah," Blaze pouted. "I really thought he was interested in me… until he drove off with that pretty blonde girl."

Stefan whipped around suddenly. "What blonde girl?"

Blaze purposefully stumbled on her words. "I… I don't know. Her name was… Rebekah, I think."

Stefan exhaled, deep in thought. "You know what. We're close to my house. Why don't you come clean yourself up, and I'll take you home."

"Thanks." Blaze gave him her sweetest smile, then switched it to a worried expression. "Should I wash off this lotion? I don't want to hurt anyone else." _Yeah right, of course the vampire would tell her to wash it off._

"Actually, you should keep wearing it." The sincerity was clear in Stefan's voice. "So few people are… allergic to that kind of… ingredient anyway. But if you happen meet anyone else who's… allergic to your lotion, I would stay away from them, just in case."

Blaze was touched for a moment by Stefan's thoughtfulness, but she quickly shook it off. _He was a vampire. He was one of the reasons her father was dead, and he'd burn with the rest of them._

Still… She couldn't be rude. "Thanks, Stefan. I'm Blaze, by the way."

He smiled warmly, leading the vampire hunter to the boarding house, and unknowingly to his own demise.

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**Okay, okay. I know I promised a lime, and it was more like… artificial lime flavor, but I started writing it and realized I stink at writing that kind of stuff. Lol, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again? Probably.  
**

**So what's going to happen next? Nothing's happening to Stefan… yet. Will Blaze go after Tyler, or will she show Connor that he's not the boss of her? Stay tuned! Either this chapter or the next a regular vampire's getting staked! o.O**

**Love you all; Please review! -Viola**


	5. Renewed Allegience

**Hello, my lovely readers! Once again, I am so appreciative of all feedback I received. Thank you! So, we left off with Blaze tricking Stefan into thinking she'd been given vervain by Connor. But let's backtrack a bit first with some Matt POV…**

**Chapter 5: Renewed Allegience**

Matt was pissed. He'd really liked Blaze, and she was just using him the whole time. _Man… _His insides churned as he reentered the Grill. Elena and Caroline had just stood up to leave when they spotted his incensed expression.

"Matt, what's wrong?" Elena frowned.

Matt paused in indecision, wanted to tell them what had just happened. But then he'd promised to keep Blaze's secret. After all, when Rebekah revived she'd probably tell Damon and Stefan anyway… well, Stefan, at least.

"It's nothing. I'm just a little stressed out," he finally sighed.

Elena placed her hand gently on his arm. "We all are."

Caroline's eyes brightened. "We're headed over to Stefan and Damon's to discuss the 'Connor problem'. You should come with us."

"Yeah, Matt, just come with us," Elena beamed hopefully.

"House full of vampires… I don't know, guys." Matt had had enough of the undead for the day. "I think I'm just gonna go home. Clear my head."

"All right, see ya, Matt." They waved and departed in the opposite direction.

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Damon walked into the parlor where Blaze sat quietly next to Stefan.

"Hey, you're that cute guy from the Grill," she looked up, brimming with faux intrigue.

Uncertainty flashed across Damon's face for a moment, but he masked it smoothly with his usual charming demeanor. "Blaze, right?"

"You remember!" she gushed. _Hopefully Damon would fall for the ditzy routine._

"Yeah… Stefan. Kitchen. Now."

Blaze adjusted her pseudo hearing-aid to listen in on the brothers' little chat.

"_What's she doing here, Stefan?" _

"_What was I supposed to do, Damon? Leave her crying alone in the woods?"_

"_Uh, YEAH. Every killable vampire in town's about to meet us here so we can discuss how to take down the Energizer Bunny of Vampire Hunters."_

"_Be careful, Damon. Connor seems to have some kind of vested interest in Blaze."_

"_What? Her? You've got to be kidding me."_

"_He gave her a lotion mixed with vervain this morning. It practically set my hand on fire."_

_Damon cursed under his breath. "All right then, Stefan. Get rid of her the old fashioned way."_

Blaze stared blankly around the room when Stefan returned.

"We've got to get going, Blaze. Damon's got some friends coming over…"

"Oh, yeah, of course. I'm so sorry for imposing on your hospitality." Blaze's face was plastered with concern.

"Yeah, support group," Damon rolled his eyes. "It's my turn to host."

"Oh," Blaze beamed at him innocently. "Well, I hope we run into each other again sometime… Damon." She grinned shyly. _Gosh, she hated him. Hopefully the next time she ran into Damon Salvatore she'd be able to stake him._

* * *

Blaze waved at Stefan with a smile as he drove away. Then, turning to the house, she tallied the vampires in her head. _Tyler Lockwood, Elena Gilbert, Caroline Forbes, Stefan and Damon Salvatore, and Rebekah, the mysterious Original. _She needed to find out more about the Originals, and more about Tyler, before she could capture him.

_But did she even want to?_ Connor was an absolute jerk to her, and it made Blaze want to retaliate somehow.

She ran inside the house briefly to grab more rope. She'd have to get more soon if all these unkillable vampires kept popping up. Then Blaze set off toward the town, unsure of what to do next. She'd wanted revenge on the vampires, but they kept being so nice. It confused her.

Her mind was on high alert as she walked along the city square, but it comforted her to know that all the 'killable' vampires, according to Damon, were currently at the boarding house.

Still, she couldn't shake from her current state of hypervigilance. It was as if she could smell the danger in the air, and she scanned every inch in sight as she passed. She could see everyone, hear everything… well, the hearing amplifiers helped with that.

But there were no vampires. _Woman in a red dress walking her dog. Couple across the street drinking coffee. Man in a black suit reading the paper. Man in jeans holding a gun… _Blaze's heart stopped. The guy holding a gun was fast approaching the man reading the paper. She had to stop him.

The would-be thief was a mere yard away from the oblivious but handsome man when Blaze broke into a sprint. He panicked and turned to run, but Blaze could have outrun him on her worst day. She flew past the man reading his paper, who looked up in amused surprise, and tackled the thief with ease.

"What the hell is going on here, Miss Harris?" Liz Forbes had just rounded a corner and pulled out her gun hastily.

Blaze pinned the man's arms behind his back and heaved a sigh, peering up at the Sheriff. "He had a gun out, and was walking up to that man with a newspaper." She pointed behind without looking back.

"Bailey, what are you talking about?" Liz creased her eyebrows. "There's no one there."

"What?" Blaze whipped around, and sure enough, the man was gone. _Shoot._ He wasn't a man at all. _Another vampire._ But if all the 'killable' vampires were at the Salvatore's, then that meant… _more Originals_. She had to think fast.

"Sheriff, I swear I saw someone. I was just trying to help…" she trailed off in mock disbelief. Liz's deputy came up and began to cuff the suspect.

"Bailey, listen to me," Liz rested a hand on Blaze's shoulder. "I appreciate what you tried to do, but you've always been a little… too helpful. Just let us do our job, okay?"

Blaze felt utterly embarrassed. That vampire had made her look like a fool. She was fuming, and all her previous doubts suddenly vanished. She was going to find Tyler, and she was going to kill him.

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**Yikes! Who was the vampire? And remember, next chapter a vampire's going to have a run in with a stake. o.O Please Review!**


	6. Miscommunication

**So the vampire who disappeared from the scene of the crime was… *drum rolls* Elijah, my favorite Original (My favorite character on the show, actually). Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 6: Miscommunication**

Elijah stood, well concealed in the shadows across the street. He hadn't meant to humiliate the girl by disappearing. But then, he hadn't expected her to try and save him either. It amused and puzzled him. Then Sheriff Forbes had berated the poor girl, causing her to stalk away in fury and shame. Perhaps he'd have a chance to make it up to her somehow…

Blaze indeed felt furious. She'd been feeling so aggressive lately. Perhaps it was all the vampires. _Or maybe_, a tiny voice said in her mind, _you're still sad about your dad dying._ "Ugh, ridiculous," Blaze denied to herself. It had to be the vampires. _It had to be._

* * *

The next morning Tyler was walking out to his car to go to school when he heard a soft cry. He promptly dropped his bag, following the sound. Then he smelled it. Blood. Tyler raced ahead to find the source when he spotted a familiar face sobbing against a tree.

"Blaze?"

She had a deep gash in her calf, and tears streamed from her face into the black trench coat she wore.

"Oh my gosh, Blaze." Tyler ran to her side to see how badly she was hurt.

"Tyler," Blaze whispered hoarsely.

"I guess this is a bad time to say it's great to see you," Tyler tried to lighten the mood. "I mean, what the hell happened? What are you doing out here?"

"Tyler," she cried as he grabbed her arm to help her to her feet. "Tyler, I'm so sorry."

"What?" Tyler started to ask, but then he felt a sharp pain lance into his heart.

Real tears streamed down her face as she pulled the vervain syringe from his chest and replaced it with a stake also coated in the lethal herb. _But it had to be done¸_ she reasoned, and Blaze quickly wrapped the resilient vampire in vervain ropes.

* * *

School hadn't started yet when Matt spotted Elena and Caroline chatting outside, but he still felt pretty overwhelmed at the whole vampire/hunter situation. But he decided to go over and say hi anyway. "Hey, what's up guys?"

"Oh hey, Matt. Elena and I were just discussing what we found out about Blaze and the vamp hunter last night." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"You guys heard about that, huh?" Matt was surprised they were acting so calm.

"It's ridiculous if you ask me." Caroline pursed her lips. "And where on earth is Tyler? He should be here by now."

Matt couldn't believe his ears. "Ridiculous? It's more than ridiculous, Care, it's dangerous for you guys."

"Oh please. Connor may be dangerous, but Blaze? I don't think so."

"Well she had me fooled. _And_ Rebekah."

"Rebekah?" Elena suddenly tuned in.

"Yeah, didn't she tell you guys that Blaze, you know… staked her?"

"WHAT?" Caroline practically screamed.

"Matt, we didn't see Rebekah yesterday," Elena gaped. "Blaze told Stefan that Connor drove off with her in his truck."

"What?" Matt had clearly underestimated her. "Blaze and Connor are working together. She's a vampire hunter."

"Shoot." Caroline's hand rested anxiously over her mouth. "Tyler's not answering his phone."

"Go," Elena peered at her friend. "Matt and I will cover for you."

Caroline hesitated for a moment, taking a quick breath before vanishing from sight.

* * *

_Man, he's heavy_. Blaze admittedly struggled as she carried Tyler, but she managed to make to her truck in pretty good time. She had just dumped him in the back seat when she felt an eerily familiar breeze.

She opted for a syringe instead of a stake, deftly sliding it from her coat before turning around to face the blond vampire.

"We trusted you," Caroline fumed loudly. "_Matt_ trusted you."

"You're all the reason my father's dead," Blaze countered sharply. "I'm only after vengeance."

"Well, that's too bad," Caroline glared, "Because you messed with the wrong vampires."

Blaze leapt out of the way as the blond vampire charged, denting the truck. Then, flipping around, she stabbed Caroline in the spine with a vervain syringe.

Caroline screamed in paralyzed agony and soon lost consciousness. Blaze flipped her over on her back, and pulled out a stake to finish the job. But just as she lifted her arm to strike, a voice rang out behind the trees.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Blaze turned to see a blond man with a British accent emerge into the clearing. _Oh great,_ _Another Original_. "Why does it matter? What is she to you?" Blaze challenged.

"Let me be clear," Klaus smirked serenely, "If you kill Caroline, I'll be forced to remove your insides."

It was the creepy smile that did it, and Blaze slowly lowered the stake. "What about Tyler?"

Klaus considered his options and sighed. "By all means, take the hybrid. He's of no use to me." _It was a faultless opportunity for him to both save the girl and remove the opposition. _

Blaze stood up carefully, gripping at the sleeve of her coat as she climbed into the truck, but the intimidating Original ignored her, lifting Caroline into his arms and disappearing into the woods.

* * *

Half an hour later Blaze met with Connor on the edge of town.

"That was faster than I expected." Connor lifted Tyler's paralyzed but conscious figure from the truck.

"A vampire I didn't recognize called him a hybrid. What do you think that means?"

Connor's gazed at her meaningfully. "It means we're dealing with a vampire-werewolf hybrid."

Blaze suddenly felt the rug pulled out from under her. "Wait, you knew what Tyler was and didn't bother to tell me?"

"You handled it. Move on." Connor tilted his head, as if to challenge her.

"What? If you know something, you need to tell me. We're a team…" Blaze spat.

"No, I'm a hunter. You're just a kid who got lucky."

Blaze's jaw dropped. _Of all the unbelievable, condescending idiots… _"You may have the knowhow, but I've got the edge. Mark my words, you'll need me again before this is all over."

She sent one last apologetic glance toward Tyler and fled in sadness and crazed frustration.

Her house was close by, and Blaze quickly ran in and opened the closet. She pulled a delicately crafted stake from her family cache of weapons. It was her father's, but it had never been used. _Until now. _

Blaze couldn't think straight. Her father's death, Connor's rejection of her and his appalling underestimation of her abilities, vampires on every corner… it was all wearing down on her. She didn't care who she ran into next. If they were a vampire, she was going to stake them.

* * *

Elijah watched carefully as the Harris girl left her house and stalked furiously up the street. She appeared shaken and unhinged, and his curiosity was admittedly piqued.

Blaze had gone a few blocks when she heard soft footsteps from behind. She quickened her pace and turned abruptly into an alleyway. In the blink of an eye Stefan Salvatore stood before her.

"Where's Tyler and Caroline?" He pinned her chest with his arm, and gazed at her threateningly. Apparently he was still upset about being lied to…

"Go to hell." Blaze spat right in his face.

"If either of them are dead I _will _kill you, Blaze."

Stefan didn't consider for a second that Blaze was the one doing all the staking. He'd just assumed that she was Connor's helper, so he wasn't expecting the stake that slipped down from Blaze's hand into her sleeve.

She stabbed him in the gut and twisted a knob at the top. The knob jettisoned vervain throughout several apertures of the stake, causing Stefan to stumble back and gasp in pain.

"I didn't kill you, because you were so nice to me yesterday. And I didn't kill Tyler _or _Caroline either," Blaze glowered at the semi-conscious vampire. "Connor has Tyler, and some British guy took Caroline before I could stake her. But, rest assured, I will avenge my father's death, so I wouldn't stick around if I were you."

Blaze syringed the woozy Stefan, and he blacked out instantly. Then she cursed to herself. She'd wanted to kill a vampire, but not Stefan. If it had been Damon, well, that would have ended much differently, or maybe that vampire who'd embarrassed her the night before.

But a tiny voice in her head whispered, _No. Not him._

Blaze shook her head, trying to rid herself of the irrational thought, but something about that vampire in a suit had caused her to try and save him. Something stirred within her… and she didn't like it.

Elijah raised an eyebrow as Blaze ran from the alley. He never would have expected his rescuer to be a vampire hunter. He gazed at her in amusement as she disappeared out of sight. He'd have to keep an eye on that one.

* * *

**So… Stefan got staked, but not in the heart. Phew! And good thing Klaus showed up to save Caroline. I don't know if I'm going to delve into Klaroline interactions at all, or if I should just leave it to the imagination. Lol. Anyway, there's still one Original Blaze hasn't encountered yet. He'll be showing up in the next couple chapters. Please Review! Thanks! **

**-Viola**


	7. The Inner Fire

**This is a very Blaze-centric chapter. She's confused about Connor and the vampires, **_**and**_** she's trying to stay alive now that her cover's been blown. Lot's of wavering, angst, you know... typical vampire-hunting girl emotions. ;)  
**

**Keep in mind that I've only seen up to 4x02. None of the events follow what happen after that episode. So… that thing Connor does to Tyler in tonight's episode does NOT happen in this story. :-/ Hope you still enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Inner Fire**

Blaze suddenly found herself confined to her home. And when she had to go out she was constantly looking over her shoulder for vampires. Now that Connor had abandoned her, she had a huge target on her back. But she was a fighter, she'd never given up. Not since the time she saw her first vampire…

_Eight years before:_

_Bailey had gotten into her father's tools. She knew he'd be mad, but she wanted to make something for Ben McKittrick's birthday. She thought he was so cute, even though he thought Bailey was weird. A knock on the door interrupted her reverie._

"_Can I help you?" Bailey gulped awkwardly at a man staring at her with… hunger?_

"_Please, can I come in?" The man stood inches from the door, making the twelve year old nervous. _

"_I don't know, can you?" Bailey raised an eyebrow like a typical preteen. While the other kids had been learning about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, Bailey had been taught about vampires and their history in Mystic Falls. She was no fool._

"_Invite me in." The man pounded against the door frame and growled, the veins creeping around his eyes. _

"_Wow, you look like a drug addict. Let me get you some coffee." Bailey sighed absentmindedly. If the vampire was smart, he would bolt. Leaving the door open, she ran to the bathroom adjacent to the kitchen and filled a mug with nail polish remover. Then she grabbed the small torch from her dad's tools and stuck it in her back pocket. _

_She pretended to trip just before reaching the front door, and the mug's contents splashed all over the man. _

"_What the hell? This isn't coffee."_

"_I know." Then Bailey pulled out the torch, lighting the man on fire. _

_She watched him writhe around and scream as he perished before her eyes. Her innocence, if she'd ever had any, dwindled with each of the man's screams. Ben's birthday suddenly didn't seem so important…_

Blaze blinked, dazed from the memory. Ever since that day she'd trained with her father to hunt and kill vampires. He called her 'his little Blaze', and the nickname just stuck. It was her calling.

But now she found herself with no one to turn to. A honed weapon with the wrecked emotions of a child. She was broken.

* * *

The next night Blaze crept through the town stealthily. She'd needed fresh air but didn't want to risk being spotted by a vampire. She'd even exited through the window, just in case someone was watching the house.

It was another of Blaze's talents, becoming invisible when she didn't want to be seen. And she'd spent years not wanting to be seen. So she stuck to the darker parts of the town, avoiding street lights and restaurants. She'd neared the city square when she heard an all too familiar snarky voice in her hearing amplifiers.

"_Oh please, Stefan. The solution is obvious. Kill Blaze. Kill Connor. Go out for drinks. I don't see why that's so hard for you to wrap your mind around."_

"_She didn't kill me, Damon. She took down an Original. She took out Tyler. She would've killed Caroline if Klaus hadn't shown up, but for some reason she let _me_ live. There's good in her."_

"_That's great. So you can give the eulogy at her funeral… Be serious, Stefan."_

"_Damon, listen to me. If we can persuade her to help us, then she can help us get Tyler and Rebekah back."_

"_She thinks vampires killed the council, Stefan. Trust me, there's no coming back from that."_

Blaze spied a glint in Damon's eyes that confused her. She realized he was suffering an extraordinary amount of pain, hiding it beneath a façade of arrogance, and for the tiniest moment… she pitied him.

"_Damon, don't do anything you'll regret later."_

"_Oh, I won't, Stefan."_

"_Damon…" but his brother was already gone._

Blaze shuddered silently as Damon vanished. Enough adventure. It was time to go home. And if Damon was there, she'd probably just syringe him the way she had with Caroline and Stefan.

* * *

Blaze only had two houses to go when she heard Damon's taunting shouts.

"Come on out, Blaze. I know you're in there."

An irrational wave of anger suddenly festered beneath her skin. _Man, she had aggression issues…_ Vampires, Vampires, Vampires. They were everywhere. The rage set fire to her mind, and Blaze tugged at her sleeve restlessly. She didn't just want to kill him; she wanted to torture him. But before she could step into the light a shot rang out, piercing Damon in the shoulder with a vervain laced bullet.

_Connor._

Connor ran up and began to tie up the vampire when Damon grabbed his neck with his left arm.

"I've been building up tolerance to vervain for a year now," Damon spat hoarsely. And I'm going to enjoy seeing you die. The veins crept around his eyes, but an unexpected sharp pain in his back brought him back to reality.

"Try handling _that_ much vervain." Blaze's eyes burned.

Damon coughed and moaned in agony as Blaze tied him up with the rope that singed his skin.

Connor appraised the girl with narrowed eyes. "You know, I think you and I may have gotten off on the wrong foot."

"No…" Blaze faked a smile as she finished tying up the Salvatore. "You're just a chauvinistic jerk who needed to be put in his place."

Connor grabbed Blaze's chin softly, moving in for a kiss, but Blaze smacked his hand away.

"I'm so over that," she rolled her eyes. "Let's just stick to business."

"Just business," Connor nodded.

"So are you going to stake him?" Blaze peered apathetically at Damon.

"No." Connor puckered his lips slightly. "We're going to use him to lure the others."

Blaze nodded blankly. In saving Connor's life she'd proven her resolve, but somehow it made her feel numb inside.

"I've got a new target for you. One of the Original Family. " Connor raised his eyebrows significantly. "Can you handle that?"

Her insides trembled, but not with fear. "Absolutely."

* * *

**Oh no! So is her new target Elijah? Klaus? Or maybe Kol? I'll give you a spoiler, one of them DEFINITELY gets captured in the next chapter. I hope you liked! Thanks for reading, and Please Review! **

**-Viola**


	8. How Scandinavian Of Me

**Last night's episode was one of the best episodes of the vampire diaries I have ever, ever seen… which is actually kind of weird, because none of my favorite characters were on it. Remember, This DOESN'T follow anything from episode 3. It goes in its own direction after 4x02.**

**(The title for this chapter is a lyric from the appropriately-named Bjork song, "Hunter". ) Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8: How Scandinavian of Me**

Blaze pinned her brown wig down and tugged on it lightly. _Nice and tight._ She'd also traded in her coat for a large purse, shaded in her eyebrows, and donned some dark sunglasses. Eying herself in the mirror she grinned. Heels, form-fitting dress… her own mother wouldn't have recognized her. Well, if she'd known her mother…

The purse was bulky, but at least no one recognized her. She especially hoped _he_ wouldn't recognize her. She rubbed the vervain lotion on her neck and hands and stepped out the door in the late afternoon sun.

Connor had successfully captured a three of Klaus's hybrids, but the Original still eluded him. But at least Connor had learned that Klaus and Rebekah had two brothers. He knew Blaze was faster and had unmatched reflexes, due to her years of training as a youth, so the task fell to her to go after the oldest brother, while Connor went after Klaus's remaining hybrids.

_Elijah Mikaelson_. Blaze shivered at the sight of him. _Man, he was handsome._ But he was also a vampire… a vampire who had humiliated her. He leaned casually against a street lamp as if to mock her. _But he wouldn't mock her tonight._

Elijah detected a presence behind him and stood at the ready, but the brunette who swept by him so seductively caught him by surprise. The woman's walk exuded such confidence, her hair bounced playfully, and her clothes hugged her curves just right. She had undeniable sex appeal that would have cracked a lesser man, but the Elijah averted his gaze with ease, though he couldn't help the slight, smug grin that escaped his lips.

Blaze lingered for several seconds, then cursed beneath her breath, knowing she'd have to try a different approach. Elijah was already walking away.

Blaze proceeded to hurriedly trade her heels for running shoes. Fortunately she had shorts on beneath the dress, so _that _wouldn't be an issue.

Suddenly a very human, _and very drunk_, man tugged on her sleeve. "Say there, princess, how 'bout you take something else off."

Blaze scoffed as she turned to face him. "You're kidding, right?" This man was out of his mind if he thought he could best her.

The man chuckled darkly. "I never kid, honey."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Let me give you a warning, pal. Leave me alone, or I'll castrate you."

"Oh, ho… I like 'em fiery." He stepped closer, and Blaze tensed to strike.

But before she could teach the dirtbag a lesson, someone appeared by her side.

"I believe she asked you to leave." Elijah stood by her side with such daunting authority that it made Blaze shiver.

"It's none of your business, mister." The drunk leered at the Original.

"I said… leave." The vampire leaned into the drunk's eyes, compelling him.

Abruptly the vagrant turned and staggered away.

Blaze bit her lip, unsure of what to do to this gentlemanly vampire. "I didn't need your help."

"A simple thank you would suffice." He appraised her carefully and leaned against the street lamp once again.

"You… you shouldn't have done that." Her resolve weakened.

"And why not?" he calmly shrugged.

"I just… you just…" _Shoot. She couldn't even think straight. _"You weren't supposed to be so…" _Perfect, _her mind whispered. _Ugh, this was all wrong. _ He'd tried to _save_ her. How could she hurt him now? "I mean… Thank you," she trailed off uncertainly.

"Forgive me, you may have been able to handle such an abject human being on your own, but it's not in my nature to allow a young woman to be harassed."

It took Blaze several seconds to recover. Why did her target have to be so chivalrous?

"Please, allow me to escort you somewhere less… abhorrent ." He held out his hand to her.

Blaze's mouth fell open. She _should_ take his hand, she knew that. But something held her back. "I'm sorry, but," she looked down at her hands and pulled away unexpectedly. "I can't touch you."

"And why is that?" His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Because…" _Because what? Because he's a nice vampire who helped you out? Because he's handsome as heck? Vampires are vampires. Come on, Blaze… _She struggled with the emotions that tore inside her, but she just couldn't find the will to hurt him.

She removed her sunglasses, and Elijah's eyes suddenly flickered with recognition. _He knew._

"Because my hands are covered in vervain," she surrendered with a sigh.

"I see," Elijah took a cautious step back. "There's more to you than meets the eye... Blaze."

Blaze's heart skipped a beat at the caressing way he spoke her name, but she recovered quickly. "You've got to get out of here," she whispered urgently. "If Connor finds out I let you go… I'm dead."

Elijah discerned the real sense of fear in her voice and was gone in a flash.

_Shoot._ Elijah had completely ruined everything. _No… She'd done that herself_. She let him get under her skin, and then he had to be so 'noble' and defend her honor. _Ugh. _There was no way she could touch him now; her heart wouldn't allow it.

* * *

Blaze woke early the next morning, feeling restless. Her apparent attraction to Elijah didn't sit well with her. In fact, it made her angry. Why did she have to like a vampire? The more she dwelled on it, the more the rage built up inside her. The adrenaline made for quite the effective workout regimen, but it did nothing for her mood. She wanted to kill something.

She succeeded in channeling some of her rage by running through the woods, but after two miles she slowed along the borders of the Lockwood property. Blaze had thought she'd seen something near the forest, but it disappeared when she blinked. If it had been a vampire they surely would have scattered by now. _Or would they?_

Blaze grinned to herself and pretended to trip. The vampire might just take the bait. While bent over she cut her shin on a rock, gasping for good measure.

Moments later a roguish, accented voice echoed behind her. "That's a nasty fall, sweetheart."

Blaze turned to face an attractive young man with a leering smirk and a mischievous gaze to match. "I'm fine." She pulled herself to her feet steadily.

"Well, perhaps, I should have a look, just to be safe." He edged forward, grin widening. "What's your name, love?"

"Blaze Harris." She tugged at the sleeve of her windbreaker nervously.

"Blaze." He cocked an eyebrow. "Quite distinctive."

"It's a nickname I've had since I was twelve," she strained.

"You know, I do believe I've heard of you," He grinned exaggeratedly. "You're the one who set a man on fire; am I right, darling?"

"Yes," Blaze narrowed her eyes and smiled. "What about you? A handsome guy like you must have a name." _As if she didn't already know._

"Kol Mikaelson," he smirked, buying into her cheap flattery.

_Mikaelson. _ It was all the confirmation she needed. "You know, Kol, I still start fires from time to time," she edged closer to him, preparing to strike.

"Do you now?" Kol took a measured step toward her. "Well, Blaze, how would you like to make some sparks fly with _me_?"

Blaze was staggered for a moment, caught off guard at his blatant attempt at seduction, but raising an eyebrow she managed to keep up the banter. "I only start fires with the most… deserving of specimens."

"Lucky for you, sweetheart, I'm _quite_ the rare specimen," Kol was only a few inches away.

"I know." The smile faded into a glare, as she pulled back the sleeve of her coat.

Before Kol could react, flames sprayed from the tubing along her forearm. Soon the Original was covered in the blaze. He stumbled backwards, shouting out in agony for a several seconds, until finally there was silence.

Blaze knew the Original wasn't dead, so she quickly readied her palm with a stake. Sure enough, Kol rose seconds later from the ground in a rage that could have compared easily with her own. "You know, sweetheart," his eyes were filled with unfeeling hatred, "that was one of my favorite suits. I'm quite put out now."

The stake was still hidden in her hand, and Blaze clutched it for dear life.

"It's a shame really." Kol took painstakingly slow steps toward Blaze, as if to taunt her further. "You and I could have had so much more fun than this. But now…"

He shot forward and grabbed her neck, preparing to snap it, but the vervain from her lotion seeped into his palm, and he withdrew his hand reflexively from the pain.

She took the stake in her hand, and, before Kol had time to recover from the vervain, Blaze gutted him in the heart.

The veins in his skin darkened, and his skin turned gray, but Blaze wasn't taking any chances. With no ropes or syringes to aid her, she turned and ran like hell 'til she reached her house.

Blaze cursed under her breath again. She was zero for two in the Original brothers department; Connor was _not _going to be happy.

* * *

**Blaze has some serious aggression issues. Too bad she was in a windbreaker and not her trench coat… otherwise Kol would have been TOAST! I haven't written the next chapter yet (Today was an angry day… much like Blaze, lol), so we'll see what happens tomorrow. Hope you liked this chapter! Please Review!**

**-Viola **


	9. Tricks

**I apologize for not writing sooner. I felt like I was crumbling… and that tends to hinder typing capabilities.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Tricks**

"She's clever, Niklaus." Kol glared into his phone. "And quite the actress. I couldn't detect a hint of a lie in her heartbeat when she spoke."

"_Just get to the point, Kol. How much of a threat is she?"_ _Klaus voiced crossly from the other end of the line._

He paused, not wanting to sound weak but still wanting to get his point across. "Don't underestimate her, Nik. She has more than a few tricks up her sleeve," Kol grinned at his own wit.

* * *

Connor cursed under his breath. "Kol and Elijah Mikaelson aren't our only concern right now. The third brother found out about his hybrids."

Blaze's skin crawled. _Klaus. _

"Now, from what you've told me, Elena and Stefan are devoted to keeping those they love safe. If we could get the blonde who's with Klaus when he makes it back into town, we could lure them into a trap."

"What about Elijah and Kol?" Blaze's thoughts flitted to the eldest brother, before forcing herself to shake the errant whims from her mind. _He's a vampire. He's a vampire._

"If we're lucky, they'll want to get their sister back."

"But how are you going to hold that many vampires for that long?" It was the one question that constantly rang in the back of Blaze's mind.

Connor's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'll show you."

Blaze and Connor trekked through the darkened woods for several minutes when Blaze stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Connor's eyes creased with suspicion.

"Caroline and Klaus are here," Blaze whispered, an increasing sense of foreboding building beneath her skin.

* * *

"How do you even know where they're going?" Caroline's voice sounded low and unhappy.

"Don't worry, love. The hunter will lead us to our hybrids." Klaus offered a bright smile.

"_Our_ hybrids? Oh please, don't flatter yourself." Caroline rolled her eyes. "Your hybrids. And _my_ Tyler."

Klaus grabbed her arm and whipped her around suddenly to face him. "I felt the rush in your pulse, Caroline. I feel it now." He grabbed her chin, and Caroline stared vulnerably into the Original's eyes. "You're only fighting yourself, love." Then he breathed into Caroline's ear, causing shivers to creep down her spine. "But it's a losing battle. You _will_ give in, sooner or later."

Caroline froze for a few seconds until finally she was able to shake her head and scoff, "Get over yourself, Klaus."

Klaus froze uncharacteristically, then cursed.

"What the hell, Klaus? Can't take the truth?" Caroline lifted her hands incredulously.

"Our cover's been blown, love," Klaus grimaced.

Caroline stiffened. "What, but how?"

"It appears our little hunter heard much of our ensuing conversation. I wouldn't doubt if she could hear us now."

"That's impossible," Caroline shook her head quickly. "Blaze is a human. I mean, she freaking _wears_ vervain."

Klaus quickened his pace and snapped, "Kol said she had a few tricks up her sleeve. This is apparently one of them."

"Well what are we going to do?" Caroline stumbled irritably behind him.

"You should know by now, Caroline," Klaus paused and grinned at the vampire beside him, "I've got a few tricks of my own."

* * *

"And you're sure this is going to work?" Connor eyed Blaze dubiously.

"Absolutely," Blaze nodded. "Sheila Bennett gave a ton of them to my father before she died."

"Then let's get to it."

The two climbed stealthily into the trees in the midnight air and waited in perfect silence. Then they watched unmoving as Caroline and Klaus approached the clearing where the hunters had stood minutes before.

"So where'd they go?" Caroline folded her arms impatiently.

"They can't have gone far, love. Try to catch the traces of their scent in the air."

The vampires spread out several feet when Caroline whipped around at the loud rustle of branches behind her.

"Boo," Blaze whispered with an eerie grin and drove a strangely adorned stake into the young vamp's heart.

Klaus turned in seeming slow motion at Caroline's muffled intake of breath. "Noooooooooo," His roar reverberated through the entire wood as he rushed at Blaze.

Blaze could see the rage of yellow gleaming in his eyes when she lifted back the sleeve of her trench coat and torched him ruthlessly. "Hurry, Connor," She shouted desperately.

Connor hurled a vervain grenade at the Original's neck and pinned him to the ground on his stomach. Then Blaze began to stab carefully-placed syringes throughout scattered pressure points on the vamp's body.

"My grandmother showed me how to do this when I was fourteen." She pierced his skull in several places then worked her way carefully down to the spine. "There were no vampires in Mystic Falls at the time, but every so often a few would get too close for comfort. These paralytics have had vervain added to them for extra potency."

"How long do we have?" Connor glared at Klaus.

"Tie him with your extra vervain ropes. Then, I'd say, with how resilient he is compared to the others we have roughly… twenty minutes tops."

Connor tied up Klaus while Blaze took Caroline's body, wrapping her body and mouth in cords of her own. Then, grabbing the stake from Caroline's chest, she waited for nearly a minute for the color to return to return to Caroline's cheeks.

Caroline squealed in confusion and rage at Blaze's casual shrug. "Surprised?" She peered at the vampire passively and leaned in toward her ear, "I'll tell you a secret." Then Blaze backed away, flourishing the stake in the moonlight. "There's not a single splinter of wood in these stakes… They've just been spelled to mimic the effects of a real one."

Caroline thrashed around furiously, but it was no use. She simply had to endure the pain and disgrace of being picked up and carried through the woods by Connor and Blaze, bound in vervain ropes, going to who-knows-where…

* * *

**Not very much, and I know you had to wait forever, but at least it's something! Next up… Connor's going to take Blaze (and Caroline) to the lair where he's keeping Rebekah, Damon, Tyler, and the other remaining Hybrids. And soon Blaze will have another run-in with either Kol or Elijah, possibly both. Thanks for Reading and Please Don't Hesitate to Review… Even if you're a troll and just need to go on a rampage. I'll understand… in time. ;) -Viola**


	10. Weaknesses

**It's been a while, I'm sorry for that. I'm on a new medicine that makes me want to sleep all the time. Difficult to adjust... and to write. Hope you enjoy though. Love yall.**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Weaknesses**

"Damon," Rebekah let out a hoarse whisper.

"What do you want…" Damon turned to the blonde vamp apathetically.

"What if no one comes for us?"

"Don't dwell on it too much, Blondie," Damon rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if Elena's already concocting some sort of plan with Stefan right now."

Rebekah glowered at the Salvatore. "That doesn't help me much does it?"

"Relax. I'm sure they'll let you out. After all," he cringed at the thought of Blaze taking him out, "we've got a common goal."

The sound of Caroline's muffled screaming interrupted their banter.

* * *

"What is this place?" Blaze stared around the vast cave in wonder.

"It's a cavern I found in between towns. I'm pretty sure it's always served the same purpose we're using it for now." Connor unbolted several doors, and they towed Caroline into the dimly lit cave.

Caroline spotted Tyler's lifeless figure and screamed.

"Shut her up." Connor turned to Blaze sternly.

Blaze ripped the tape from Caroline's mouth and stared at her wordlessly for several seconds. If she'd had any emotion left she would have felt sorry for the girl. "Listen to me," she uttered softly. "Tyler is alive… for now."

"What kind of game is this?" Caroline shrieked.

"It'll be game over like that," Blaze snapped her fingers quickly, "if you don't quiet down." Her eerie whisper had more effect than yelling, and Caroline immediately stopped crying.

"Besides," Connor lifted the vampire and chained her to a pillar along the others, "This is no game. As soon as your friends Stefan and Elena show up, there won't be a need to hold you as hostages."

"So you're just going to kill us all?" Caroline squeaked.

"You're vampires." Connor glared matter-of-factly. "What do you expect?"

"Oh come on," Damon tuned in and rolled his eyes weakly. "Did Daddy not love you enough as a child?"

Connor punched Damon in the face as an answer. Then he turned to Blaze, looking incensed. "Get me one of the Originals, or so help me, I will stake you myself."

_As if he could._ "Fine." Blaze stalked away stealthily until she made it back to town.

* * *

"I hate to be one to side with the likes of Damon Salvatore, but if we're to have peace in this town we had better get rid of those pesky loose ends staking my hybrids." Klaus grimaced toward his younger brother as they sat in his study the following evening.

Kol rolled his eyes. "All this talk, brother. That skank set me on fire, and I want to teach her a lesson," he grinned menacingly.

"Oh Relax, Kol. So we underestimated the girl. Mark my words, the moment we find out her weakness we'll have all we need to…" Klaus froze to listen suddenly, the edges of his lips turning upward with pleasure. "Foolish girl."

"Impatience," Kol leered with equal satisfaction, "so tragic a weakness, yet so common."

* * *

Blaze crept around the base of the staircase adjacent to the ballroom. She felt somewhat frantic, but unafraid, even though she knew that she'd probably end up dying in the next few minutes.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing up at a house owned by vampires." Klaus's serene grin nearly caused her knees to buckle in fear as he appeared near the top of the stairs.

"You have nothing you can take from me that I haven't already lost." The numbness covered her like a shield.

"On the contrary," Klaus sped down to her level and leaned against the steps with ease. "I happen to know for a fact that your mother is currently sipping a cocktail at a pub in Scottsdale."

The pit of Blaze's stomach churned with shock and anger. Of course Klaus would have tried to find a weakness, but she didn't have any. "I have no room in my life for those who disappoint me."

Her answer greatly surprised Klaus. In that way alone the two of them were much alike. If she had been a vampire their compatibility would have been unquestionable.

But she wasn't a vampire; she was a means to an end. "It seems a pity you have so little to live for. After all we have so much in common. You could join us, you know. You could become a vampire."

This was the break Blaze needed, an opportunity to weaken Klaus's defenses. She gulped as though in fear. "My whole life has been consumed with killing vampires. Why would I throw everything away to become one?"

She knew Klaus was stalling. She heard Kol behind her across the room in her earpiece and braced for attack.

Suddenly Klaus smiled. "Forgive me, my dear. You're absolutely right. Becoming a vampire just isn't for you."

Taking that as her cue, Blaze swung around unexpectedly and shot Kol in the chest with a stake as he flew toward her. Then with her left hand she thrust a vervain stake into his heart.

A second later Klaus had her pinned to the ground. "Impressive reflexes, sweetheart. It's a shame I'll have to kill you, really."

Blaze couldn't move, and she inhaled deeply, preparing for death. Klaus's face darkened, and she closed her eyes calmly.

Out of nowhere the weight suddenly lifted from her body, and Klaus's body was hurled across the room. Blaze stared up in wonder at her rescuer, just to find herself face to face with Elijah. Her heart fluttered oddly, and she exhaled shakily, not understand the emotions that were flooding around her mind.

But she knew Klaus would only be out for seconds, and Connor would kill her if she failed again, so she ran across the room and syringed the Original hybrid with vervain. Then she turned to Elijah, growing fluttery all over again.

"Why?" Blaze whispered uncertainly.

Elijah looked as if he wasn't sure of the answer himself, but he quickly recovered. "I was merely repaying my debt to the girl who rescued me from a rather vicious mugging."

"Oh please…" Blaze rolled her eyes, but a pang of guilt quickly sifted in place of her sarcasm. "I'm taking Kol."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that." Elijah blocked her way confidently.

"Please," she begged in a whisper.

Elijah narrowed his gaze toward her. "Forgive me, but I find it a bit strange that you would face death from a vampire with so little fear, yet the thought of another human ending you seems to fill you with such dread." In a flash Elijah appeared before her. "Are you so afraid to die at the hands of your own kind?"

Blaze's heart stuttered. Elijah's eyes pierced into her own. She wanted to slap him, or stake him, or kiss him, or rip his shirt open or something… Why of all people, did _he_ have to be the one to affect her so intensely? _Ugh…_

But finally she found the will to speak, "Anything less than what I've spent my life training for would be failure."

"I see," Elijah brought his hand to Blaze's hair and swept it carefully behind her ear.

She closed her eyes, letting a tear fall from her eye. The pain and anguish, the ecstasy and joy of Elijah touching her was unimaginable, but she had to make it stop or she would explode.

In one swift motion, Blaze brought up her arm and shot Elijah with a stake through the heart. "I'm so sorry," she paused and kissed the Original's forehead as she laid him carefully on the floor. Then she ran hastily to Kol's body, secured him with ropes, and carried him swiftly from the home.

From the other side of the room Klaus lay quietly with his eyes wide open and a mischievous grin growing on his lips. He'd found the huntress's weakness.

* * *

**Yikes! What's Klaus going to do? Thanks for reading. Please review. Love you guys. :-) -Viola**


	11. Compromised

**Chapter 11: Compromised**

Connor parked his truck beside a silver trailer, and hopped deftly out. He was halfway between vehicles when he turned abruptly, stake in hand.

Klaus flipped the stake easily from his hand and quickly had him in a headlock. "Sorry, mate, but I'm faster than your average vampire."

"What do you want?" Connor spat.

Klaus loosened his grip on the hunter ever so slightly. "A simple trade. My brother, Elijah for Caroline."

"And why would you do that?"

"Elijah betrayed me," Klaus lied smoothly, "and I rather fancy the girl."

"I don't make trades," Connor grunted heatedly.

"Then think of it as an upgrade. Another Original for just your average vampire. I'd say you're getting a bargain."

Connor's eyes narrowed as he considered the hybrid's offer, then he finally sighed. "I'll need time."

"You have three days." Klaus beamed innocently at the hunter.

"Or what?"

"Or I start slaughtering the townsfolk. And do you really want their blood on your hands?" He raised an eyebrow and whistled lightheartedly as he turned to leave. Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

"You seem distracted," Connor sat in front of his trailer later that afternoon, sharpening a custom-made bullet.

"Does all the killing ever wear on you?" Blaze stared at the ground absentmindedly.

Connor stopped carving the wood and appraised her carefully. "What do you mean?"

"Do you think there's a limit on how many vampires you can stake until you start to feel like… less of yourself?"

The hunter's eyes narrowed. "Maybe you should take a break for a few days. Stefan and Elena will take the bait, and I'll let you know when they do."

Blaze wondered if she ought to feel suspicious, but staking Elijah had caused her more pain than she had realized. Every fiber of her insides continued to war in denial with her feelings for the man.

"Sure, I'll… do some training exercises or something." Her thoughts were everywhere, but they kept flickering around the level-headed Mikaelson brother. _What was she going to do?_

"Listen to me," Connor paused and peered at her meaningfully. "Those vampires took everything away from you. Your father is dead… because of them."

A frenzy of rage suddenly blistered beneath her skin as she thought of her father. _It was the vampires' fault. They had to die. _They _had _to die. "Don't worry," she breathed with renewed vengeance. "I'll help you stake every last one of them."

"Good," Connor nodded and returned to his blade.

* * *

Elijah's eyes flickered open in a torch-lit cave. As consciousness returned fully he spied a white ash dagger on the ground in front of him.

"What is this?" He began to struggle, but his bounds seared into his skin and weakened him further.

"Elijah," Rebekah smirked feebly. "How nice of you to join us."

"How did this happen?" Elijah stared in disbelief at two of his siblings, a handful of Klaus's immobilized hybrids, and Damon Salvatore. The last thing he consciously remembered was a tear falling from Blaze's eye.

"Blaze happened," his sister spat dimly. "If I ever get out of here, I swear I'll kill that wench."

"Now, now, sister," Kol echoed from beside her. "Where are your manners? I do hope you'll share."

"Enough," Elijah breathed solidly and proceeded to glance around the room. "Why is Miss Forbes not with us?"

"Oh that would be Nik," Rebekah rolled her eyes halfheartedly. "He leveraged your capture for Caroline's release."

Their catch-up was cut short by the echo of two voices. At first Elijah's jaw clenched in anger, expecting Connor and Blaze, but he quickly realized the difference in their intonations.

"Elena," Damon whispered weakly.

* * *

"Are you sure this is what Caroline was talking about?" Elena murmured softly as she and Stefan crept stealthily through the first few doors of the cave.

"This is the only cave around for miles." Stefan inched ahead carefully.

"I don't understand how Klaus can be so sure that we're all going to get out of this alive."

"What other choice do we have, Elena? We can't leave Damon and Tyler to die." Stefan clambered through the last door and creased his eyebrows in mute distress.

"Oh my gosh," Elena rushed forward to Damon, but the vervain in his ropes singed her skin.

"Elena," Damon coughed. "Get out of here."

Before she could decipher his warning, a shot fired, hitting Stefan square in the chest with a vervain dart. Elena raced for the door, but a second shot nailed her in the shoulder, and she fainted promptly to the ground.

"Well, what do you know?" Rebekah glared tiredly. "The hunter finally hunts."

Connor ignored her jibes as he tied Stefan and Elena to pillars of their own.

"Where are you going, darling?" she teased as Connor headed through the doors, but he made no reply.

"Damn," she pouted and winced at her own ropes.

* * *

"So this is it then." Blaze exhaled edgily at the mouth of the cave days later.

"Of course we're two vampires short," Connor admitted in disappointment. "But it's better than the alternative."

Blaze couldn't help but sigh in silent relief. If another vampire was missing, that meant Elijah was safe. They'd kill the others, and she'd have avenged her father's death.

"So if they've all been here for the past three days, why are you just calling me now?" Blaze creased her eyes in confusion.

"To get this." Conner held a pale, metallic-veined stake in the air. "The only weapon that can kill an Original. I finally found it in Damon Salvatore's sock drawer."

"But how did you even find out about it?" She stared at the stake in awe.

Connor shrugged. "I decided to use a play from your book." He removed earpiece from his ear, and Blaze gasped.

"But you need this," Connor's gaze narrowed. "It's time to make the vampires pay for your father's death."

He handed the white oak stake to Blaze, and she nodded in grave understanding. This was really it.

They entered the cavern and plowed deep into the crevices before reaching the doors. Then the two of them entered the vast pillared room, filled with flickering torch light.

Blaze gazed unsympathetically at her victims until she realized Caroline's place was no longer occupied. Her heart beat frantically. _No._

"Where's Caroline," she couldn't help but sound frantic.

"She was released in place of the oldest Mikaelson brother."

Blaze was certain every vampire in the cave could hear her heart burst. Her eyes met the discerning gaze of the Original's, and her heart broke. "Elijah?" Her eyes filled with tears.

* * *

**So, I've really enjoyed writing about this scenario, but it hasn't garnered a lot of feedback, so I'm pretty sure any thoughts of a sequel are getting axed. **

**I'm also fairly certain that the next chapter will be the last one, so I can focus on my Secret of the Petrovas sequel, and my Wolves in the Closet Project. Thanks for reading. Please Review! -Viola**


	12. Sedition

**Last Chapter... for now. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Sedition**

"Why is Elijah here?" She peered into his eyes in utter chaos.

"Klaus and Caroline gave their word to stay out of Mystic Falls." Connor placed a hand on Blaze's shoulder, as if to reassure her. "Now stake them." He stepped back and folded his arms, watching her carefully.

Blaze trembled and pulled the white oak stake from her coat.

Elena gasped. "Really, Damon? You couldn't pick a better hiding place than the sock drawer?"

"Hey, I figured the most obvious hiding place would be the best one. Reverse psychology."

"Blaze, please," Stefan ignored the other two and stared at her with beseeching eyes. "You don't have to do this."

Connor tilted his head toward the wavering huntress. "They killed your father, Blaze. The vampires need to die."

Blaze could feel the resolve enflame her senses once again, and she crouched for the first kill.

"No," Elena shook her head. "Connor's lying to you, Blaze." She cried in desperation, "We never started that fire."

"You're vampires," Blaze seethed. "I don't believe you."

"Blaze," A firm, deep voice called to her softly, and Blaze suddenly felt chills down her spine.

She turned to Elijah and struggled not to betray her conflicting feelings. "What?" she strained to hide the emotions clawing beneath the surface.

"Listen to Elena." Then, as if it were possible, Elijah spoke in the softest, most pleading whisper she could have imagined. "Our lives rest in your hands."

Connor saw Blaze's resolve crumble and decided to step in. "I've heard enough." Then he rushed at Blaze and grabbed the white oak stake from her hesitant grasp.

"No!" Blaze screamed. All her training, fighting all her life against vampires… she never figured her greatest battle would be against another vampire hunter, but she saw Connor rushing at Elijah in slow motion, and she knew her heart had chosen. She had to save him.

Connor was stronger, but Blaze was faster, and she latched herself to his back as he closed the distance toward the Original. He flipped her to the ground, but she was able to use the momentum to roll on top.

"What's gotten into you?" The veins in Connor's face bulged as he fought the girl.

Blaze struggled to keep him pinned down. "I can't let you touch him." She tried to reach a weapon from her coat, but before she had the chance Connor shifted her weight off of him.

Connor lunged into Blaze, stabbing her with the White Oak stake, then he got to his feet. Blaze fell back, clutching her stomach. The trees spun around her, but her focus became clear as Connor moved toward the vampires.

Blaze pulled up her sleeve, and flames shot ahead, engulfing the hunter.

Her mouth fell open in denial and adrenaline as she torched him, but there was no turning back. She'd made her choice. She stumbled over to the man in flames, and stabbed him in the heart with her own stake.

As the adrenaline faded she noticed the searing pain from between her ribs. The trees spun around, and Blaze realized she was going to die... for vampires, no less. She would have laughed at the irony if her whole body wasn't screaming in agony.

"Blaze," Elijah's soft voice rang in her ears. "Drink my blood."

"What?" She spun around dizzily to face him.

"The vampire blood will heal you." His gaze penetrated right into her soul, and she suddenly had no doubts.

Blaze staggered over to the tree where he was tied. Grabbing a small knife from her pocket, she pushed up the sleeve of his suit and nicked his forearm. Then, taking a deep breath, she leaned in and drank from his arm.

For several minutes Blaze stared around at the vampires in a stupor until she finally felt her wounds knitting themselves closed.

Kol rolled his eyes and sighed exaggeratedly. "Come on then, sweetheart. Set us free; we won't bite." He grinned at that last part, and Blaze shuddered.

She edged over to Elijah and whispered, "Please, don't kill me."

Elijah stared seriously into her eyes and inclined his head in a nod. "I give you my word."

She took another small stake from her coat and bit her lip. "Free the others when you wake." Then, before Elijah could protest, Blaze thrust the stake into his heart, tears brimming around her eyes.

"Oh, come on," Damon spat impatiently. "We seriously have to wait for old Original to come back to life?"

"Shut up, Damon," Stefan was just as tired of being tied up as his brother. "She just saved our lives. The least we can do is wait a few more minutes."

Blaze cut Elijah's vervain ropes and rested him gently on the ground of the cave. Then, in an act of impulsive trust, she set the white oak stake beside Elijah and stroked his hair gently.

"Oh my gosh. You care about him, don't you…" Elena furrowed her eyebrows in comprehension. "That's why Klaus was so sure we wouldn't be killed. He _knew._"

Blaze peered up at the rest of the vampires, regret plain in her face. "I'm sorry for the pain I caused you." Then she added in a whisper, "Please, don't come after me."

Stroking Elijah's grayed face one last time, she stood up and sprinted out of the woods as fast as her legs would allow.

* * *

Elijah woke several minutes later and pulled Blaze's stake from his chest. He freed Rebekah and Elena first, and they gradually, and painfully, got everyone out of their lethal bonds.

"I'm gonna kill her," Damon rubbed his hands, wincing.

But Elijah pushed Damon back against the tree and threatened in a low, even growl. "Do so, and I will rip your heart straight from your chest."

"Yeah Damon," Elena rested a hand on his shoulder. "If it weren't for her, Connor would still be alive. We owe her our lives."

"We don't owe her anything, Elena," Damon glared. But deep down, he knew she was right. Blaze had saved them all.

Elijah went to her house, hoping she'd be there, but the home was empty. He spent the next few days searching throughout the town, hoping to find some trace of her, but Blaze had seemingly vanished.

* * *

"I don't know what to tell you, Elijah," Liz pursed her lips, more than a month later. "Bailey's gone completely off the grid." She looked saddened at her own information. "She was always good at disappearing, blending in." The sheriff peered into the Original's eyes sincerely and exhaled, "I don't think you'll ever find her."

Elijah rose and thanked the sheriff for her help, determined not to give up. Blaze had spared his life, and he wanted to know why. He wanted to know _her_. And he would.

* * *

**Five years later**:

Blaze ran steadily along the trail. She was nearly halfway through her marathon run, and it felt great. The hillside began to incline, and she welcomed the burn. About halfway up the hill, Blaze thought she saw someone watching her, but when she focused on the tree, no one was there.

_Vampire. _Her insides felt the familiar rush, and she had no doubts.

Her natural instinct told her to run, but Blaze knew better. She hadn't had to use a stake in years, but she always had it. Always ready. Always waiting for the vampires who were sure to find her. She slowed her jog to ease her breathing, then turned sharply into the trees. The stake slid easily from the side of her hydration pack, and she was ready.

For two minutes Blaze heard nothing but the pounding of her heart. She was sure the vampire could hear it too. But then… just behind the tree where she was hid, a leaf crunched.

Blaze leapt out from behind the tree and tackled the man. She'd nearly pierced his heart when she looked into his face and gasped loudly, dropping the stake.

Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she crouched over his body, and a flood of emotions racing through with each breath. She wanted to run. _She wanted to stay._ The man glanced into her eyes, mildly amused at Blaze's surprised but conflicted countenance. Only one vampire had ever affected her like this.

"Elijah," she trembled slightly, heart beating wildly beneath her chest. _She was in trouble now..._

* * *

**If I eventually get enough positive feedback I may add a few chapters later on, but for now… The End! I hope you enjoyed reading. Feel free to read my other stories if you haven't, and please review! Thanks! -Viola**


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